My first Thunder 1, thought you might like it.

[DuoFuzz]

Since this is my first post I'd like to say a big hello to everyone out there. I've been
reading this forum for awhile now and I thought it was about time I signed up and put
my guitar up here.

I bought this as an incomplete guitar project from Fleabay last year, as soon as I saw
the wood grain I wanted it. Things like the pick-ups, tuners, and the control knobs
were missing (surprise, surprise ), but the original bridge and nut had survived.
Anyway I won the bid, probably paying to much for it in the process and no I'm not telling you! ,
but it was worth it.It was then left on the back burner with the rest of my important projects .

I was recently made redundant leaving me with no spare GAS tokens, so no more Fleabay
related stupidity then (sob sob ). The flip side is I now have more time to finish the projects off,
my Thunder 1 being the 1st in the line. Sadly I didn't take any shots of it during
the build-up but I hope you like the finished article, enjoy.

Dan.

[Warrn]

WOW. That is some really beautiful wood grain indeed! You've done well fixing her up!

[Steve777]

I agree, best set of woodgrain on a Westone I've ever seen. Did you refinish it? What did you use?

[DuoFuzz]

Hi there, I thought about refinishing it but there are some small chunks of wood missing
and since it's a clear finish I didn't think I could match the filler. Also, the pore's in the wood
are full of dirt (dead skin !?! ), I knocked some of this off with an old tooth brush but
it's still not great. I think I prefer the relic look.

[corsair]

Welcome, fellow Westone nut; yes indeedy - a very nice grain; almost birds-eye like but pretty as all hell regardless! Thanks for showing us!

[Pollyanna]

Hello Dan and Welcome fellow Geordie!

WOW! What a beauty! Why didn't I see that? Although there again, I probably did see it but didn't have the cash! Bummer!

I see you've got a couple of Seymour Duncans in there, what does it sound like?

Well done on doing a smashing job of bringing her back to life!

Pauline

[DuoFuzz]

Hello there Polly, I'm glad you and everyone seems to like it.

Yeah, it's got a pair of Seymour Duncan P-Rails in it. For those who don't know these are a humbucker made up of a large P90 style coil and a smaller rail coil. I was going to restore this with original stuff, but at the time I couldn't find the correct pick-ups.

I actually have a second Thunder 1 which was destined to be modified with these pick-ups but that guitar needs a lot of TLC. So take one good guitar, a good set of pick-ups, some spare time,and idol hands ( ding!), this is what I ended up with.

These pick-ups gave me an opportunity to go nuts with the wiring. The two mini toggles control the coils for each pick-up, so I can have both P90's, or both rails, humbucker and a P90, any combination you can of in fact! It doesn't stop there though, I've changed the pots so I now have a master tone with two separate volumes, and these two are push-pull pots! The neck vol pot is a series/parallel switch, the bridge vol pot switch puts the bridge coils in or out of phase with the neck. The push-pulls work with any of the coil combinations!

It's a bit crazy and unnecessary but I just wanted to see if I could do this, and it works , yippee .

DAN.

[Pollyanna]

Hello there Polly, I'm glad you and everyone seems to like it.

Yeah, it's got a pair of Seymour Duncan P-Rails in it. For those who don't know these are a humbucker made up of a large P90 style coil and a smaller rail coil. I was going to restore this with original stuff, but at the time I couldn't find the correct pick-ups.

I actually have a second Thunder 1 which was destined to be modified with these pick-ups but that guitar needs a lot of TLC...

Hello again Dan,

Cool, I bet they sound awesome!

What are you going to do with the other Thunder I? I'm looking for another project at the minute and that sounds like it might be right up my street! PM me if you are thinking of parting with it please!

Pauline

[DuoFuzz]

Hello there Pauline,

I'm still wondering what to do with the second one. Sadly it has a few issues, mainly to do with the neck. I bought it off EvilBay and the idea was to use parts from it to rebuild the first guitar. Just my luck, the parts I wanted had already been replaced (plastic tuners and Duncan designed pick-ups, you should always ask the seller before buying)DOH!.

Anywhoo, the guitar arrived covered el-cheapo black rattle can paint job, knackered electrics, dodgy pick-ups and tuners, and not much else. I don't know it's history but whoever played it must have used metal finger and thumb picks, or talons for nails!. This has left wear patch on the front of the body, through the paint finish and damaging the wood. The guitar was originally clear red on the wings over a nice grain, with the centre section left clear, so just filling it would be a shame.

The fretboard is a bigger problem. It's structurally sound but the board has the most wear I've ever seen. Seriously, it looks like a ploughed field. The fretwire needs replacing and the board could be sanded back but I'm not sure if it would be worth it. It might be easier to look for another neck. I have some pics I can post if you like. I dont want to overload the post with to many though.

DAN.

[Barry]

Greetings from another Thunder owner!
I'll chime in with the rest...that's one beautiful looking guitar and the grain is eye pop-p-p-ping!
Great restoration job.

I have a 1981 model I-A that I recently acquired. I love it but I've been bitching about the lousy bridge and the crowded barrel saddle design, so I look at yours with some envy!

Pity you don't have the original pups but I'm sure she rattles the rafters with what you put in!
(After all, gotta maintain that namesake, eh?)

[DuoFuzz]

Hi there Barry,

Yeah, the P-Rails are sweet, they can cover a lot of ground musically speaking. Funny thing is, with the wiring I put in it I can have both humbuckers on together in series. It acts like a kind of freaky 4 coiled monster pick-up and has a 27.5K ohm's output! I can also get a lo-fi sound with the right switching, like it's being played through an old timey radio. I'm not sure if it's very useful but it's fun.

I understand the original pick-ups for this model (Hammer 1's I think for this version?) are pretty special in their own right. Some day I might try to track some down for my other Thunder 1, if I ever get it finished!

I'm lucky enough to own a Matsumoku era 1980 Aria Pro II Cardinal CS 250 with it's correct pick-ups in it. I know they sound awesome, putting many big name humbuckers to shame, so it would be nice to hear one of my Thunder's with the originals back onboard.

DAN.

[corsair]

AFAIK, the Hammer I is an MMK 45, and yes, they are on a par with pretty much any mass-produced pick-up, then and now! (IMHO)!
I have guitars equipped with MMK 45's, 53's and 61's; wonderful tones and I have an MMK75 from a Pantera that will be whacked into something soonish...

They all turn up on eBay not too infrequently, so keep your eyes peeled but be aware the prices are getting beyond silly...

[Barry]

Hi there Barry,
...I'm lucky enough to own a Matsumoku era 1980 Aria Pro II Cardinal CS 250 ...
DAN.

You lucky sod!

What beautiful guitars, eh?
I was recently wiping the drool off my chin over one on US eBay. But as John says the prices are getting a tad wacky now since demand for Uncle Mats' stuff is going up. Even though I'm just "over the border" the cost gets prohibitive by the time you allow for monetary exchange, shipping, duty and tax. A US$200 guitar can end up costing you almost double that in Canuck "Loonies"! (sigh)

[corsair]

A US$200 guitar can end up costing you almost double that in Canuck "Loonies"! (sigh)

Yeas, but at least you guys can just pop across the border and collect it; spare a thought for those of us who live in a backwater like the south-west pacific!!

[DuoFuzz]

Good day one and all.

I didn't realize demand was growing for these Aria's I'd always thought of these as the runt of the litter.

I bought mine from a little guitar shop in Newcastle city centre called McKay's. The first time I saw it I didn't even like it, but I kept going back to look at it. The price dropped from £125 to £90 and my brother pushed me into having a go of it. As per usual, as soon as it touched with my grubby mitts she had to be mine!

I hadn't really heard of Matsumoku before this one, but the quality opened up a whole range of guitars I'd previously overlooked. More to collect when money permits it me thinks .

DAN.

[Barry]

...I bought mine from a little guitar shop in Newcastle city centre called McKay's...The price dropped from £125 to £90

Ya' know, I've lost track of the number of similar stories I've heard lately about folks happily picking up 70's-80's vintage guitars in local pawn shops and garage sales for peanuts: Westones, Aria Pro's, Vantages, even El Degas.

To rub it in, my kid's guitar instructor was handed a 1985 Vantage bass last week by a client for re-stringing--he picked it up at a garage sale!

Warms the cockles of yer heart doesn't it?
(Not!) I can never find them.

[corsair]

There's a Swedish fella over at the Matt forums who has got the most astounding array of Matsumoku guitars which just seem to fall into his hands; he is, it has to be said, a very skilled restorer and some of his posts read like treatises on restoration, but it's the number and quality of Matts that he acquires that does for me!! He even got his hands on an APII ST 1512 - the twin neck - which is something of a Holy Grail for Matt enthusiasts!

I don't know where all of the Westones have gone; they're certainly not in MY neck of the woods and even if they were, I'm not in a position to get 'em anyway because the prices have started going to plain silly levels and shipping is the hidden killer!!


*sigh*

[DuoFuzz]

I've just seen a bolt neck Hondo Les Paul copy over on Fleabay UK. The guy wants £295 for it, and that's before postage!!! WTF
CRAZY !

DAN.

[bobroberts]

it's always worth a look on ebay for overpriced old tat! always raises a smile!

[bowenjaybee]

Hey Dan I know this is a very old post but the tuners on your thunder are Wilkinson right?? did they come with the guitar when you bought it or did you fit them

I'm really considering changing my tuners for my Thunder 1 because it pops out of tune too much and it's so bloody annoying. What are the Wilkinson's on your Thunder like? any good? keep in tune? and are they a drop in fit I don't wanna have to go drill any holes in my headstock.. I know the Wilkinson's are a good price

I will of course keep the originals in a safe place if I ever need them.

Cheers

Jay